Shelf rack



Aug. 14, 192& 1,680,960

' W. N. VANCE SHELF RACK Fild April 2. 1926 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER N. VANCE, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DURAND STEEL LOCKER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHELF RACK.

Application filed April 2, 1926. Serial No. 99,229.

This invention relates to shelf racks and the like, and has for an object the provision of such a device in which shelf space may be divided by a separately removable divider.

In devices of this character provided heretofore, the dividing members have been either secured permanently to one or both shelf members, or have been arranged so that the bottom of one divider and the top of another is secured to each shelf member by means of a bolt, rivet or the like, and in such construction it is either impossible to remove the divider, or if one divider is removed, a second divider or second. and third is at the same time detached, and it is also necessary to clear the shelf above and the shelf below on each side of the divider, in order to remove the bolts or screws with which the dividers are secured in place at the top and bottom of the divider that it is desired to remove. WVhen any divider is released, the dividers in the shelf above and shelf below are both detached.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such a device wherein the dividers may be positioned in interlocking engagement with one of the shelf members and may be attached or secured to another, to facilitate assembly and to permit of securing each divider to a shelf member separately.

Another important object is to provide a shelf rack that is arranged or formed to provide a plurz'ility of bins having separately removable dividers for dividing each bin space into a plurality of smaller bins.

' rtnother importr'int object of the invention is to provide a divider for shelf racks and the like, that is formed of sheet metal and for interlocking engagement with a shelf member, or means carried thereby, and to permit of securing the divider to another shelf mei'nber, and that may also be attached to the back closure plate of the shelf rack.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as itis better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on l1ne 2-2 in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on l1ne 3-3in Fig. 2, and

F 1g. 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4.-l: in Fig. 2.

To illustrate my invention I have shown a shelf rack including a plurality of spaced uprlghts 11, a plurality of shelf members 12, and a plurality of dividers or dividing plates 13, arranged between the shelf memers.

The uprights 11 may be of any suitable material and form andare preferably arranged to receive the shelf members 12, and

to rest upon a. floor or other surface as indicated by the line 141. The uprights 11 are preferably formed of rolled steel.

The shelf members 12 are preferably of sheet metal and may be formed to engage the uprights 11 in any suitable manner, to be supported thereby, and may be spaced n the uprights as desired. A closure plate 13 preferably provided, which may be of sheet metal or the like, which is preferably arranged to close one side of the shelf rack or the back thereof, and the ends thereof. The shelf members 12 are preferably formed at their rear edge to provide a depending flange portion 16, that may be apertured to receive a bolt 17, rivet or the like, for securing the shelf member to the plate 15, or to an upright 11. A lower edge 18 of the flange 16 is preferably turned inwardly to reinforce the flange 16. The front edge of the shelf may'be turncd downwardly and inwardly to embrace or engage a supporting strip 19 that may be secured to the uprights 11 for supporting the front edge of each shelf member. In the present embodiment, I have shown the shelf member formed or arranged to provide a bin front 21, which is preferably formed of the same material and integral with the shelf member 12, the material being bent downwardly and backwardly upon itself to provide a depending flange 22 that extends above the shelf as shown (Fig. 2). One or more inwardly extending projections 23 may be provided by punching a piece of material of suitable form from the downwardly extending por tion of the shelf member 12, and bending the portion or portions to the position shown in Fig. 2. The shelf member may also be suitably formed to provide a plurality of depending lugs or a depending flange that may be notched to receive an edge of one of the dividers 13. In the preferred construction, a separate angle shaped strip 2t is or may be secured to the bottom of each shelf member 12 by welding, riveting or the like, and is secured to the shelf members at or near their centers or apmoximately ha f way between their front and back edges extending longitudinally thereof. The depending llange of the strip 21 is formed to provide a plurality of notches 25 into which the (lividers 13 may be positioned. The shelf members 12 are also provided with one or more rows of apertures 26 to provide a means of securing the dividers 13 in fixed positon.

The dividers 13 are preferably formed of sheet metal having a flange 27 at their top edge and a flange 28 at their lower or bottom edge, that are preferably arranged to extend laterally from the plate 13 in opnosite directions. A similar flange 29 is provided on the rear edge of the plates 13, and the forward edge of the plate is preferably curled back upon itself as at 31, to reinforce the edge of the dividers and to conceal the rough edge of the metal.

The shelf members 12 are attached to the uprights 11 in accordance with the means of attaching and the construction thereof, and the back and end closure plate 15 is at taehed, providing a shelf rack having the ends and back closed. Any desired number of dividers 13 may then be assembled between the shelves or shelf members 12 as shown (Figure 1) by inserting the plate between the shelf mcmbers, positioning thg upper edge or the edge having the flange 24 in notch 25, swinging the body to a vertical position and inserting one or more bolts 32 or the like, through the flange 28, which is apertured to receive the bolts, and through apertures 26 in the shelf member 12, and securing the bolt; in the usual manner. One or more bolts may also be provided for securing the flange 29 of the plates 13 to the wall plate 15, if desired. It will be understood that the flange 27 is merely provided to stiffen the upper edge of the dividers 13, and that this flange could be omitted and the slots made smaller in accordance, if desired.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A shelf rack comprising spaced uprights having side and rear closures therefor and. a front member partially closing the front of said rack and forming a bin front, a plurality of horizontal shelf members dividing the shell" rack and supported by the uprights, said shelf members having permanently fas ened on their under sides angle shaped bars extending parallel to bin front and having depending portions formed with spaced notches, and a desired number of dividing plates, each dividing plate having in its upper end a laterally bent flange adapted to fit in the notched portion of a strip and having a portion at its lower end adapted for detachable connection with the upper surface of the next lower shelf member whereby the dividing strip in any particular horizontal compartment may be removed without disturbing a superior compartment.

A shelf rack comprising spaced uprights, horizontal shelf members supported by the uprights, certain of said shelf mem bers having strips fastened to their under surfaces and formed with spaced apart notches and certain other of said shell members having perforations registering with the notched strip in the shelf member thereabove, and a dividing plate adapted to be detachably positioned vertically between two adjacent shelf members, said dividing plate having oppositely extended flanges, one of said flanges being adapted to lit in the notch of said strip and the other flange being perforated to receive a. fastening bolt therethrough and through the perforation in said lower shelf member, whereby said dividing plate may be attached and detached from position in any compartment without removing the contents of the compartment thereabove.

3. A shelf rack comprising spaced uprights, a vertical series of ihelt members supporteiil by the uprights and PIOVltllllfJ shelf spaces between adjacent shell' members, an angle bar fastened by one of its flanges to the underside of a said shell' member of said series, the depending flange of said angle bar having a plurality of spaced apart notches formed therein, the adjacent lower shelf member of said series having registering perforations disposed therein vertically beneath the notches in said angle bar, a vertically disposed dividing plate having oppositely extending upper and lower flanges, said upper flange being adapted to engage a notch of the angle bar and said lower llange having apertures arranged therein to register with the perforationsin said shelf member, and fastening bolts engaging said lower shelf member and said dividing plate through said registering apertures to provide means for assembling and disasscn'il'iling said dividing plate in position in a said shell space by access solely to said shelf space between adjacent shelf members.

4. A shelf rack comprising spaced uprights having side and back metal closing plates and having a bin front closing a portion ot the front of said rack, a plurality of horizontal shelf members supported by said uprights and forming horizontal partitions therebetween, certain of said shelt members having intermediate their front and back portions a notched plate fastened to the under side thereof and provided with spaced apart notches the shelf members beneath said plates being apertured at points to register in a vertical plane with said notches and a plurality of dividing plates, each plate having upper and lower flanges, the upper flanges being arranged to fit within the notch in the notched plate and a lower flange of the dividing plate being ap ertured to register with the apertures in said lower shelf member so as to receive fastoning bolts, whereb said dividing plates are vertically mounted between two horizontal shelf members and each dividing plate having a lateral a-pei'tured flange, the aperture of which is adapted to register with apertures in the backing plate whereby to receive fastening bolts, the front portion of said dividing plate being lapped upon itself so as to engage the rear face of the front bin.

WALTER N. VANCE. 

